I want a puppy.

Do you have the room and time and can you afford the cost of the puppy plus extra food, vets bills, insurance etc?

I'd quite like a companion for our lab but we don't currently have the room to be honest.

Nell Merionwen

Do you have the room and time and can you afford the cost of the puppy plus extra food, vets bills, insurance etc?

I'd quite like a companion for our lab but we don't currently have the room to be honest.

Yes to all the above. Extra food - yes, insurance - yes, vets bills...well they are never welcome but - yes, room - for a small dog yes but large dog no, time - yes.

wellington womble

Dogs are always in the way. I'm not saying you can have as many as you like, but going from a mid terrace to ginormous house didn't mean we fell over dogs any less. Two dogs takes no more time than one* Less, IMO as they play together. Having seen how much ours get out of having a playmate, I wouldn't have a single dog again.

* once they are past the puppy stage. Puppies do take more time and patience than dogs.

Piggyphile

Will Georgie like having one? Everything will have to be shared and pups are boisterous, does he/she love playing in the park with other dogs?

dpack

puppies have issues but so do adult rescue introductions

multi mutt is more effort than singleton but they are pack critters and multi is also easier in some ways.

what type and personality would be best depends on you and the current mutt population

NorthernMonkeyGirl

How will the other critters adapt?
How old is Georgie again?

Also, add the usual plug for Dogs Trust / rescue centres, etc

Nell Merionwen

Georgie is 4. I want another Cav, plenty of cavs who need rescuing. There are often young cavs put up on gumtree and so on who have been bought cos they are cute by people who don't realise they are also bouncy.

dpack

i think you have answered your own question

Nell Merionwen

i think you have answered your own question

Chickem

Are you sure you really need a puppy?

earthyvirgo

Are you sure you really need a puppy?

Not need Chickem, want
No one needs a puppy.

I want a Border Terrier. Vegplot would like a Jack R.

The cats would be horrified and our current house is far too small for any breed of mad puppy, however small

EV

Treacodactyl

I'd like an ESS to train up and it would need to be a puppy.

Back to the Cav, what does the rest of the household really think?

Shan

Would the money spent on a puppy not be better put aside for a Laptop for your son or for goodies for a possible new (human) arrival?

Nell Merionwen

Would the money spent on a puppy not be better put aside for a Laptop for your son or for goodies for a possible new (human) arrival?

I think we will get a puppy but there are more pressing things to deal with first. You are sensible and so am I deep down.

Barefoot Andrew

Mr Shan tells me I don't need one.

A.

Chez

Is a puppy displacement because you want something little to love?

Barefoot Andrew

*battles to suppress various size gags*

A.

Nell Merionwen

Is a puppy displacement because you want something little to love?

very likely.

Nell Merionwen

*battles to suppress various size gags*

A.

oh for goodness sake *drums fingers*

Chez

Is a puppy displacement because you want something little to love?

very likely.

In that case, is it fair to the puppy at the moment? Because your focus might change if your life does? Betty-cat was displacement activity for me and I always feel that she got a hard deal because I lavished love and attention on her to start with and then by necessity I didn't have so much time to spend on her.

(I am ignoring Andrew )

Nell Merionwen

Is a puppy displacement because you want something little to love?

very likely.

In that case, is it fair to the puppy at the moment? Because your focus might change if your life does? Betty-cat was displacement activity for me and I always feel that she got a hard deal because I lavished love and attention on her to start with and then by necessity I didn't have so much time to spend on her.

(I am ignoring Andrew ) you could be right. I shall give it time and more though.
I am ignoring him too, it's for the best.

Barefoot Andrew

Bah. I'm off to clean up chewed bird remains from the dining room floor.
A.

Nell Merionwen

Bah. I'm off to clean up chewed bird remains from the dining room floor.
A.

I told you to use a plate

Nick

Is a puppy displacement because you want something little to love?

very likely.

In that case, is it fair to the puppy at the moment? Because your focus might change if your life does? Betty-cat was displacement activity for me and I always feel that she got a hard deal because I lavished love and attention on her to start with and then by necessity I didn't have so much time to spend on her.

(I am ignoring Andrew ) you could be right. I shall give it time and more though.
I am ignoring him too, it's for the best.

Honestly, no. In the same vein as it's a daft idea for Chez to get fourteen new ducks and rabbits. They take up real, financial and head space. To be blunt, how much do you have to spare, of any? And how much will a new baby take up?

leggy

If your feeling broody would you like a lend of one or two screeching children?

Chez

It's nice to have something to think about though. I'm focussing on planning taking six months out of our lives to walk the Camino from Vezalay to Santiago de Compostella, with a wheelchair and four tube feeds a day. It might never happen; but it's slowed down my inappropriate duck purchases no end.